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A magazine about the good side of sports
Citation preview
FANPAGE / CHEERLEADERS / PLAYER’S INK / FITNESS / COMMUNITY
OCTOBER 2011 $4.99
VOL 2 / ISSUE 3
WWW.PREMIERPLAYERS.COM
Bugatti Veyron Super Sports This is by far the most expensive street legal car available on the market today at
$2,400,000. It is the fastest accelerating car reaching 0-60 in 2.5 seconds. It is also
the fastest street legal car when tested with a top speed of 267 mph.
Get Your Tickets Now!
The 2011
Premier Player of College Football
Charitable Awards Dinner
Co-Hosted By
News Channel 8 Morning Anchor Rod Carter& 10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth
6-9 p.m.
Friday, January 13th, 2012
Embassy Suites Tampa - USF, 3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa, Florida, 33612
For More Information Or To Purchase Tickets
Visit www.premierplayers.com Or Call 813-833-3495
Features & Departments
PUBLISHING CEO & PUBLISHER
Carnell Moore
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Steve Wright Marc Jenkins
Carnell Moore Barry Brudny, Players’
Jason Spray
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Carnell Moore Clarisa Rosianu
For advertising information e-mail:
To submit editorials & ideas e-mail: [email protected] or visit
www.premierplayers.com
Write to us at: P.O. Box 341064, Tampa, FL 33694-1064
Call us at:
800-470-0250
PHOTO CREDITS Bill Haber, Cover, Patrick Collard, p5
LM Otero, p6, Aaron Sprecher, p8
Associated Press, pp14, 15 Associated Press, pp 16, 17
Kim Stallknecht, p21 Ann Heisenfelt, p422
Jason Spray, p26 Al Goldis, Page 28
Content Disclaimer & Use The opinions expressed in Premier Players
Magazine and on Premier Players Online do
not necessarily reflect those of the editor,
publishers and or their agents. For use of any
material used in Premier Players Magazine or
on Premier Players Online, please contact the
publisher at 813-833-3495.
Clemson's sensational freshman Sammy Watkins, left, slips a tackle from Auburn's
T'Sharvan Bell during an NCAA college football game in Clemson, S.C. Watkins’
consistent high performance has him breaking NCAA records and nominated for The
2011 Premier Player of College Football Trophy. See Page 16 .
6
8
14
20
22
26
28
Early Upsets
Teams Enroute To The National Title
Sound Off
Steve Nash Always There To Assist
A Peek At The Best College Hockey Players
Push-ups Best For Building Muscle
Players’ Ink
PREMIER PLAYERS 5
PREMIER PLAYERS 6
Baylor may not be in the national title hunt, but the Bears kicked
off the college football season with a shocking win over the TCU
Horned Frogs who were ranked as high as 14 in the polls. QB
Robert Griffin III continues to lead the Bears towards a great
season with many talking Heisman for his accomplishments.
Sept. 2
Baylor 50, No. 14 TCU 48
Sept. 3
South Florida 23, No. 16 Notre Dame 20
No. 4 LSU 40, No. 3 Oregon 27
Sept. 9
Arizona State 37, No. 21 Missouri 30 (OT)
Sept. 10
Auburn 41, No. 16 Mississippi State 34
Sept. 17
Clemson 38, No. 21 Auburn 24
Notre Dame 31, No. 15 Michigan State 13
Illinois 17, No. 22 Arizona State 14
Miami (FL) 24, No. 17 Ohio State 6
Sept. 24
No. 21 Clemson 35, No. 11 Florida State 30
Arizona State 43, No. 23 USC 22
Sept. 29
Pittsburgh 44, No. 16 South Florida 17
Oct. 1
No. 18 Arkansas 42, No. 14 Texas A&M 38
Auburn 16, No. 10 South Carolina 13
Kansas State 36, No. 15 Baylor 35
Southern Methodist 40, No. 20 TCU 33 (OT)
No. 13 Clemson 23, No. 11 Virginia Tech 3
Oct. 8
Wake Forest 35, No. 23 Florida State 30
Oct. 15
No. 23 Michigan State 28, No. 11 Michigan 14
No. 21 Texas A&M 55, No. 20 Baylor 28
Virginia 24, No. 12 Georgia Tech 21
Ohio State 17, No. 16 Illinois 7
Early Upsets
No. 23 Michigan State 28, No. 11 Michigan 14
Virginia 24, No. 12 Georgia Tech 21
Wake Forest 35, No. 23 Florida State 30
Arizona State 37, No. 21 Missouri 30 (OT) South Florida 23, No. 16 Notre Dame 20
The Oklahoma Sooners are maintaining their place near the top of the polls with terrific play on both sides of the football.
The opening month of the 2011 NCAA Football season has
presented a tremendous level of exciting action including
tight close grudge matches, upsets and some teams even
establishing early dominance en route to a potential national
title. Some things have gone as expected so far while others
have completely flipped upside down and there is no telling
what will come of it besides yet another intriguing college
football season. Lace up your cleats and get ready for a
recap of the first month of action for the 2011 NCAA Football
campaign.
Let’s kick things off with a few of the upsets that have
taken place so far during the season:
For starters, the TCU Horned Frogs who were ranked as
high as 14 in the polls were shocked in their first game of the
season by the unranked Baylor Bears by a score of 50-48 on
September 2nd. In that contest, the Horned Frog defense
allowed 564 total yards including 414 of them through the air
and found itself down early and often. TCU would make a
dramatic comeback to take a one point lead at 48-47 with
4:27 left in the game but Baylor would answer back with a 37
-yard game winning field goal by Aaron Jones with just 1:04
remaining.
Even though, technically, it’s not an upset, the game
between then ranked #3 Oregon and then 4th ranked LSU can
be included in this conversation. The game was a battle
between two heavyweights but the team who was ranked
higher entering the game wound up losing the game by 13
points as the Tigers of LSU came out victorious over the
Oregon Ducks 40-27. The game was truly one of the better
games so far this season and it left one team’s National Title
hopes for this year all but gone (Oregon) and helped another
realize that they can claim the title if they continue to play at
the level which they are (LSU).
In the fourth week of NCAA gridiron action, there was
another major upset that took place when the then #21
Clemson Tigers knocked off the then #11 Florida State
Seminoles by a score of 35-30. This loss for FSU came just
one week following a tough loss at the hands of the then
ranked number one team in the land, The Oklahoma
Sooners. In the Clemson/Florida State upset the Tigers took
an early 14-3 lead and never looked back as they racked up
443 yards against a defense that many were considering one
of the best in the nation at the beginning of the season.
A few more upsets that took place that also deserve a
quick mention are then #16 Notre Dame losing to South
Florida 23-20 on September 3rd, then #21 Missouri losing to
then unranked Arizona State 37-30 in overtime on
September 9th, Notre Dame defeating then #15 Michigan
State 31-13 on September 17th, then #17 Ohio State getting
pummeled by unranked Miami (FL) 24-6 on September 17th
and Arizona State defeating then #23 USC 43-22 on
September 24th.
Now let’s focus on the teams that have a legitimate
chance at winning the 2012 BCS Championship.
The LSU Tigers are currently ranked #1 in the AP poll and
#2 in the Coaches poll. So far they have handled then #3
Oregon (40-27), Northwestern State (49-3), then #25
Mississippi State (19-6), then #16 West Virginia (47-21),
Kentucky (35-7) and then #17 Florida (41-11). At the time of
writing this article the Tigers had a 6-0 record and were
sitting atop of the SEC West. Some of their major
contributors include QB Jarrett Lee, RBs Spencer Ware and
Michael Ford, and WR Rueben Randle. However, the Tigers
will have a few more strenuous tests to pass before they can
think about the National Title including the Alabama Crimson
Tide on November 5th.
The Oklahoma Sooners are maintaining their place near
the top of the polls with terrific play on both sides of the
football. They currently sit #3 in the AP poll and remain #1 in
the Coaches poll. The Sooners average 36 points per game,
only allow 18.3 points per game and 354.7 passing yards per
game. So far the players who were expected to be
playmakers this season for Oklahoma have stepped up such
as QB Landry Jones, RB Dominique Whaley and WR Ryan
Broyles. The one game that could make or break their
continued on next page
PREMIER PLAYERS 9
season will be held on December 3rd against cross-state rivals
and fellow BCS title contender Oklahoma State.
The Alabama Crimson Tide have had a great start to their
2011 season and are currently sitting at #2 in the AP poll and
tied for #3 in the Coaches poll. The Tide average 38.5 points
per game, only allow 8.0 points per game and rush for 230.8
yards per game. Currently, they share the SEC West lead
with LSU. Their key playmakers include QB AJ McCarron, RBs
Trent Richardson and RB Eddie lacy, and WR Marquis Maze.
The Crimson Tide, undoubtedly, has the game between them
and the LSU Tigers on November 5th circled on their
schedules.
The Boise State Broncos have begun the 2011 campaign
continuing their tradition as the Blue Field Bullies. They are
currently ranked #5 in the AP poll and #6 in the Coaches poll
with an undefeated season. The Broncos are ranked 20th in
the nation in points scored per game, 29th in points allowed
per game and 8th in passing yards per game. Boise State’s big
-time players such as QB Kellen Moore, RB Doug Martin and
Tyler Shoemaker are the main reasons why they continue to
win. The Broncos last major test of the season will come on
November 12th when they square off against the TCU Horned
Frogs.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have proven already that at
this juncture of the season, they are one of the top teams in
the country. The undefeated Cowboys sit at #6 in the AP poll
and #7 in the Coaches. They average 46.8 points and 415.5
passing yards per game while allowing 27.5 points per game.
At the center of it all is QB Brandon Weeden, RB Joseph
Randle and stud WR Justin Blackmon. The Cowboys have a
make or break game for them on December 3rd when they
will square off with the Oklahoma Sooners for bragging rights
of the state, possibly first place in the conference, and a shot
at the BCS National Title.
The Stanford Cardinal are the final team that I feel can
truly challenge for the 2012 BCS title. However, the
Wisconsin Badgers are making a great case, too. Currently,
the Cardinal are ranked #7 in the AP poll and #5 in the
Coaches poll and have a 5-0 record. Stanford is currently
ranked ninth in the nation in terms of points scored per game
(46.0 PPG) and fourth in points allowed per game (9.0 PAG)
which is why they seem like a tough team to knock off of
their title hunt. All-world QB Andrew Luck is leading this
team to where they want and need to be along with RB
Stepfan Taylor and WR Chris Owusu. The Cardinal’s last
difficult test will come at the hands of #9 Oregon on
November 12th. If they can get past that one with a win then
the BCS title could be within their sights.
Just one month has gone by in the NCAA College Football
season and it has already been a pretty memorable one. I
can’t wait to see how the rest of the year plays out. Sit back,
relax and enjoy the remainder of a great campaign.
Jarrett Lee (#12) is directing a very balanced and fast LSU offense supported by a very staunched
defense. It will be a match for the ages Nov. 5 when LSU takes on another very balance but
bruising offense in Alabama that also brings a talented defense.
PREMIER PLAYERS 10
One of the most exotic cars out there is one of the most expensive at $1,850,000. It can go from 0-
60 in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 217 mph.
Pagani Zonda Clinque Roadster
PREMIER PLAYERS 14
Oklahoma State fans cheering for their team during the game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys and the Texas A&M.
UCLA Bruins Fans at the game between the Washington State
Cougars and the Bruins at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.
Georgia Tech University fans in full color watch Tech defeat the
Maryland Terrapins, 21-16.
Temple Owls fans having fun at the game between the Buffalo Bulls
and the Owls. The Owls beat the Bulls.
A Wisconsin Badgers fan.flashes the W at a game between the
Badgers and the Indiana Hoosiers. Wisconsin won 59-7.
Sound Off
Top 25 Candidates For The 2011
Premier Player of College Football Trophy
Here are the 25 candidates for The 2011 Premier Player
of College Football trophy. Can you name them all?
Go to www.premierplayers.com to see the complete list
of names, pictures and stats. Then vote for who you think
is the best player.
The award will be presented to the athlete fans voted
as the best player in NCAA college football. Fans have until
December 10th to cast their initial votes for deciding the
five finalists. The five athletes with the most votes will be
announced Dec. 12th and invited to The Premier Player of
College Football charitable awards dinner.
Simultaneous, another poll begins with just those five
players on the ballot that remains open until a week
before the awards dinner. The recipient of the trophy will
be revealed at the charitable dinner set for 6 p.m. on
January 13, 2012, at the Embassy Suites Tampa -University
of South Florida.
Make Sure You Vote at
www.premierplayers.com
PREMIER PLAYERS 16
The most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built at $1,600.000. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. Its rarity (limited to 20) and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own.
The most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built at $1,600.000. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. Its rarity (limited to 20) and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own.
By: Barry Brudny
A power forward dashes through
the lane and delivers a two handed
slam. The crowd goes wild and the
energy is palpable in the arena. All
eyes are on the man who just
electrified the arena. However, few
are on the point guard that executed
the perfect bounce pass through two
defenders to enable the play to
happen. Such is the life of a point
guard, boosting his teammates instead
of himself.
Sports analysts, players, and
coaches alike all state that basketball is
a team game. That team play,
however, almost always seems to start
through its point guard. He gets the
gears in motion; he gets the play
running. It’s ironic that the player who
most often empowers his team to
succeed is usually given the least
acclaim. With the exception of Derrick
Rose, who controls games and scores
often because of his superior speed
and unprecedented athleticism, most
successful point guards pass first and
shoot second, giving their teammates
opportunities while they are just the
supporters. This is what makes Steve
Nash such an amazing point guard, he
commands the game enough to
become a star while supporting.
Nash is a Canadian, first round draft
pick by the Phoenix Suns out of Santa
Clara University and has long exceled in
his passing and dribbling abilities. Two
years after being drafted, the 15th
overall pick was traded to Dallas to
play with Dirk Nowitzki and Michael
Finley. While many thought the power
trio would win a championship, they
consistently fell short of expectations.
The playoff losses prompted owner
Mark Cuban to trade Steve Nash back
to the Suns in 2004.
Expectations were very low for
the Suns, having won just 29 games the
season before Nash was traded.
However, with Nash and the drafting of
soon-to-be star Amare Stoudemire, the
Suns won an NBA-best 62 games. Nash
had found his perfect offense, where
the offense was very fast-paced and he
could be the floor general that
everyone envisioned he could be. He
led the league in assists and still
managed to shoot over 50% from the
field. He displayed how a point guard
can be the supporter but still a star. He
ran the helm of the most potent
offense the league had seen in over a
decade, dishing dimes to every
teammate and yet still getting as much
acclaim as them if not more. The NBA
voters realized this and voted him to
be only the third point guard in NBA
history to win the MVP award.
True to his nature as a point
guard, Nash plays a supporting role off
the court as well. He is the head of the
Steve Nash Foundation, which he and
his family established in 2001. The
foundation, which gained US charitable
status in 2004 and Canadian charitable
status in 2007, has two headquarters;
one is in Phoenix and the other in
Nash’s hometown of Victoria, British
Columbia. The foundation was created
to support the children of Canada, the
US, Paraguay, and Uganda through
methods like funding nonprofits,
investigating new scientific research to
aid in the recovery from child abuse,
and giving teacher training on child
sexual abuse.
Outside of Canada and the US,
Nash has taken a particular interest in
helping the children in Paraguay and
Uganda to overcome their struggles. In
Paraguay, his foundation is taking more
of a support role by donating to
improve the cardiac care for children,
institute more clinics for children to be
examined in, and provide safe
environments to better advance the
health and education of children in the
region.
In Uganda, his foundation is taking
more of a recovery role. Though in
early development, the Support Hope
Foundation aims to “create
opportunities for reconciliation in war-
affected communities in Uganda.”
Through his multinational
foundation, Steve Nash has impacted
the lives of countless children and has
brought about a significant amount of
positive change in just the decade his
foundation has existed. He is always
giving. Whether, it’s a basketball on a
fast break or charity funds to a
Paraguayan school, Nash is always
there for the assist.
Photo: Steve Nash and Mattie MacEwan,
a liver transplant recipient, at Nash’s
charity soccer match in Vancouver, BC.
Steve Nash Is Always There For The Assist Community
PREMIER PLAYERS 20
PREMIER PLAYERS 23
The initial candidates for the 2012 Premier Player of College
Hockey Trophy have been announced and voting is up and
running on the Premier Players website. A total of 15
players have been announced so far, and five additional
players will be added on the ballot in January. The five
candidates with the most votes will be invited to The 2012
Premier Player of College Hockey charitable awards dinner
where we will announce the overall winner, so be sure to go
to the website and place your vote.
Here is a sneak peak of some of the front runners for the
award:
Jaden Schwartz – W - Colorado College
Schwartz will be looking to build on a freshman year that
saw him total 47 points despite only playing in 30 of his
team’s games. What really excites the coaching staff at
Colorado College is that Schwartz ended his season with 14
points in his team’s last six games. IF, he can pick up that
kind of form starting out his sophomore season then the sky
is the limit for this wing forward as he embarks on what
could be his last college campaign.
Justin Schultz – D – Wisconsin
Schultz is everything that an elite college hockey
defensemen should be and a lot more. He quarterbacks the
power play unit, kills penalties, shuts down offenses single
handedly, and is a vocal leader both on and off the ice. Not
only does Schultz prevent the opposition from scoring, he
can also find the way to the net himself. As the leading
scoring defensemen in the nation as a sophomore last year
(18 goals, 29 assists), Schultz is especially effective on the
power play where he scored half of his goals. Coming back
to Wisconsin for one more year shows the commitment level
of a guy who was a sure fire NHL pick.
Aaron Dell – G – North Dakota
Dell logged over 2300 minutes for the Fighting Sioux last
year, despite coming into the season as the second
goaltender on the depth chart. This year, there is no such
controversy over the starting position and it would seem to
be reasonable to expect that Dell at least repeat last year’s
outstanding campaign. Dell’s excellent vision and reaction
time allow him to post a 1.79 goals against average in 2010-
11, which was the best in the country. His save percentage
of .924 also placed him in the top 10 in that category. If he
can improve on his six shutouts from a year ago, then Dell
will be a force to be reckoned with between the pipes all
year long.
Jack Connolly – C – UM-Duluth
All eyes in Duluth will be on Connolly in the 2011-12
campaign as he tries to adjust to life with a new role, and
perhaps just as importantly, without old friends. For the last
two seasons Connolly has found himself on a line with Mike
Connolly and Justin Fontaine and he reaped the rewards,
scoring 108 points in just 82 games as part of that unit. With
his namesake and Fontaine gone, Jack Connolly must find a
way to inspire his team in a new way as their captain.
Connolly is going to be a point scoring threat all season long,
and depending on how he adapts to new line mates, he
could be a legitimate contender for the Premier Players
Trophy.
T.J. Tynan – C – Notre Dame
T.J. Tynan had a stellar freshman campaign a year ago which
saw him pick up 23 goals and 54 total points in his first 44
college games. Tynan is just the right mix of flash and
control, and if he can avoid the dreaded sophomore slump,
he has the potential to be right up amongst the scoring
leaders at the end of the 2011-12 season. Ironically, one of
his challengers for the scoring crown could well be fellow
Notre Dame sophomore Anders Lee. Both Tynan and Lee
score in bunches, and both push each other every day to get
better on the ice. The result could be a special season, both
individually and as part of a dynamic and exciting Fighting
Irish squad.
To learn more, visit www.premierplayers.com for a complete
list of candidates for The 2012 Premier Player of College
Hockey trophy.
The 2011 Premier Player of College Hockey
Fans Follow Top Players
By Steve Wright
Koenigsegg Agera R
The Agera R can burn 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 260 mph. It has the
parts to reach 270 mph, but the supercar is electronically capped at 235 mph. With the
completion of certain paperwork, the company will unlock the speed limit for one occasion.
Priced at $1,600.000.
Five Variations of Push-Ups To Test Strength And
BUILD MUSCLE
By Jason Spray Middle Tennessee State
Want to build muscle? It’s easy—perform Push-Ups. Below, I describe five variations that will challenge your strength and build muscle.
Prior to performing any of these exercises, I recommend mastering isometric core exercises like Planks and Ab Wheel Rollouts. This way, you’ll have a strong core foundation to build on for the Push-Up variations. 1. Push-Up Ladder This is not only a chest and triceps killer, it has a great shoulder and core stability component as well. It can be used as a bodyweight exercise for younger athletes or loaded with a 100-pound weight vest for an NFL linebacker.
How To Perform: Start on the right side of the ladder with your left hand inside the last rung and your right hand outside the ladder. Perform a Push-Up. Place your right hand in the same rung as your left hand, and move your left hand to the next rung. Perform a Push-Up. Continue this pattern to the end of the ladder. Always move your trailing hand first. Perform two to four complete ladder cycles.
2. Slideboard Push-Up
This is an advanced exercise. It requires tremendous core stability and strength.
How To Perform: Start in top Push-Up position, with your right hand on a slideboard. Descend into a bottom Push-Up position while extending your slideboard hand forward. Coming up, push up with your left hand while
pulling with your slideboard hand until you return to the top Push-Up position. Nice bonus: the pulling motion activates the lats. The key is to maintain Plank position [with a flat back] through the entire movement which you will perform on both sides.
3. Chain Push-Up This might be my favorite of the five variations of Push-ups. Since it requires teamwork, it’s great for group morale. To make it more challenging, perform the Push-Ups using 20-pound dumbbells as grips (I prefer 20s because they’re sturdy but not too bulky). The dumbbells add an extra proprioceptive component. Because the chains have to be removed after use, they can slow down your workout.
How To Perform: Have a spotter load chains on your
back while you are on all fours. Chains should be loaded in criss-cross fashion. Rep until you feel fatigue, then yell “pull!” Each time you yell “pull,” the spotter removes a chain. Younger or weaker athletes should use four chains. Stronger and more mature athletes can use six.
PREMIER PLAYERS 26
4. Isometric Countdown Push-Up This may be the hardest of all—not only from a strength standpoint, but from a time-under-tension standpoint. This makes it a true mass builder!
How To Perform: The set-up requires three boxes, one for each hand and one for both feet. You must be elevated so your chest won’t touch the floor at the bottom of the exercise.
Descend to the bottom Push-Up position, dropping your chest between the two hand boxes. Hold for a five-second count. Perform five Push-Ups and return back to bottom position. Hold the bottom position for a four-count and perform four Push-Ups. Count down to one.
5. Octagon Push-Up This is a cool variation, especially for defensive linemen. It requires superior shoulder and core strength.
How To Perform: To set up, place cones at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions. Begin in a Push-Up position with your head at 12 o’clock. Perform a Push-Up, quickly rotate to 3 o’clock and perform another Push-Up. Keep rotating clockwise, then counterclockwise, performing Push-Ups at each stop as quickly as possible. End at 12 o’clock.
A strength and conditioning coach at the collegiate level since 2002, Jason Spray is currently the director of strength and conditioning for men’s basketball and assistant director for football at Middle Tennessee State University, where he also aids in day-to-day physical and nutritional development. Spray earned his bachelor and master’s degrees from Middle Tennessee and is CSCS, SCCC, USAW, NSCA, NASE, FMS and CSCCa certified. He is also a USA Weightlifting Club coach and a certified physical therapy aide. Spray has trained athletes ranging from high school to the professional and Olympic levels. He has been featured in Premier Players Magazine and is the head sports performance adviser for RSP Nutrition.
12
9
6
3
PREMIER PLAYERS 27
PREMIER PLAYERS 42
Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy listens to instructions at football practice. On his left arm is a tattoo of a Spartan slaying a Wolverine. The Michigan vs. Michigan State game is always one of the most highly anticipated football games of the season. According to Campus Den, the rivalry attracts more fans than any other rivalry in college football, except the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. And no team, not even the OSU Buckeyes, have upset the Wolverines more often than the Spartans have. The 28-14 upset Saturday marked the four consecutive win for Michigan State over Michigan.
Player’s Ink
PREMIER PLAYERS 43